Windows Server 2003 EOL: the lesser known impact on power performance

Featured article by Michael Maiello, Senior Vice President, Home and Business Networks for APC by Schneider Electric

Innovation cycles in today’s advanced IT landscape are evolving rapidly and businesses are tasked with not only adopting the latest technology, but also adapting to the frequent phasing out of legacy solutions and hardware they have come to rely on for years.

Case in point: Microsoft recently announced that as of July 14, 2015, the company will no longer support its reported 11 million servers and applications running on Windows Server 2003. This means that, while businesses can continue to utilize the “legacy” server, Microsoft will no longer issue security updates for any version of Windows Server 2003 after July 14.

Ultimately, the discontinuation will leave organizations that don’t migrate their servers and applications to a newer platform at risk of losing valuable support, as well as facing increased maintenance costs for legacy equipment, software and operating systems. For some organizations, it can even mean potentially violating industry compliance standards and facing legal repercussions as a result. While Microsoft’s announcement is raising a number of discussions within the IT industry – particularly around the security concerns from the changeover – the conversations lack a focus on the power management and converged infrastructure implications of this change.

Although this transition presents many challenges, it can also provide a unique opportunity for business leaders to shed light on the potential issues around power management when updating IT infrastructures like Microsoft Server 2003. Key considerations to maintain power and network reliability during the Windows Server 2003 phase out can range from updating uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) to replacing batteries and extending warranties to maintain optimal network performance. To avoid uninterrupted power network performance, IT business leaders need to take the following into consideration before the server end-of-life (EOL) in July:

– Replace aging server equipment. The phasing out of Windows Server 2003 will require some businesses to implement new servers. For example, if a rack full of servers from 2005 is currently connected to a UPS from 2008, the same rack will soon be full of servers from 2015 and those legacy UPSs may not be a workable solution to meet new power requirements.

Also, the legacy UPS may not be as efficient or may be missing features that will prove crucial to business applications. Newer UPSs have been upgraded to run at peak performance and ensure ideal compatibility with the latest servers and IT gear. Additionally, life expectancies of UPSs can vary greatly depending on environmental conditions and refreshing UPSs in tandem with a broader IT gear refresh can help ensure optimal network availability.

– Consider upgrading the UPS fleet. As legacy UPSs are not optimized for the demands of today’s equipment, businesses are already thinking about compatibility to navigate their Window Server migration. Compatibility is key when running a fleet of UPSs and a complex IT infrastructure.

With newer firmware and other product improvements over the past several years, it is important to implement technology that can match advanced software capabilities throughout a data center.

– Check batteries for potential replacement/warranty issues. When upgrading servers and data center equipment, data center managers should check batteries to ensure they can support new technology.

UPS life expectancy fluctuates greatly depending on five key factors, including placement, ambient temperature, cycling, maintenance and battery chemistry and storage. As batteries play an integral role in maximizing the life of a UPS, it’s important to understand the manufacturer’s warranty (two years is common among leading providers), determine whether extended warranty coverage is appropriate and change the batteries according to the recommended maintenance schedule to prolong its life.

– Maintain network availability when outsourcing applications. Rather than upgrading on-premise equipment, many organizations may choose to move their data off-premise in the form of a private, public or hybrid cloud or possibly consider deployment in a co-located data center. As a result, those IT departments will need to rethink how they maintain availability of new and critical networking equipment to ensure a constantly reliable connection to remote server data.

While some companies have already begun their migrations, many will wait until closer to the official Windows Server 2003 phase out date on July 14 – others will even wait until after the deadline has passed. In any scenario, discussions within organizations should start now to ensure the availability of a business’s IT infrastructure is not compromised and avoid potential power performance issues resulting from the change. Although the Windows Server 2003 EOL will present new challenges for IT business leaders, it will also provide an opportunity for businesses to evaluate the viability of existing power and converged IT technology to ensure business continuity during this changeover and beyond.